When we heard about the earthquake in Mexico, we decided that we wanted to do something to help. We had already planned our Non-Uniform days and other charity events but felt that it was important to squeeze this in as an extra. So what could we do that was different to our existing plans?

In the end we thought it would be really easy to ask people to bring in their loose change to see if we could complete a money mosaic on the playground. We decided to send our money via Save the Children so thought an out line of a child would be good. In the end we arranged several child figures in a circle and went about laying out the coins; everything from pennies to two pounds had been handed in.

Everybody joined in and it got very busy on the playground and soon the outlines were completed and we set about filling in the shapes. They looked great!

When all the coins were laid down, the Maths department very kindly offered to sweep up all the money and count it and we made an impressive total which currently exceeds £180 and still more change promised.

Thank you to everyone who donated and took part and let’s hope we make some difference for the people affected by the earthquake.

You have probably seen the press coverage about Snapchat’s new feature and the potential risks for young users but what will you do about it?

As ever it is important that you understand the features of Snapchat yourselves and that you discuss the risks with your daughters. The most important thing is to make sure that the settings your daughter is using will keep her safe. It is easy to change the settings and this advice from NSPCC is very clear.

Additionally the NSPCC’s Share Aware campaign is a very useful resource for parents who want to know more about the most popular apps currently available.

In the English Department, we are delighted to be going on several trips over the next couple of months! In June, the Year 8s are going to the Roald Dahl Museum to inspire their creative writing. Hopefully, it won’t inspire their cooking, as we’re not sure Mrs Jones will be too pleased if they swap their spaghetti for worms like Mrs Twit! This will support work they are doing in the classroom learning about one of Roald Dahl’s novels and hopefully- will inspire a love of reading too!

As well as this, the Year 9s are going to the Globe Theatre, London this week to tie in with their work on William Shakespeare. It will be interesting to find out what it was like to go to the theatre in Shakespeare’s time – it was a little different from our trip to the pantomime each Christmas! Interestingly, the middle of the theatre doesn’t have a roof. This is where the ‘Groundlings’ stood, the cheap tickets, so they always got wet!

We will all be wondering if it is to rain or not to rain? That is the question!

Unsure how to support your teenager to be safer and enjoy their digital world?

We’ll be running a session to help you!

Thursday 25th May, 6pm at Alfriston School

Come along and find out about the digital life skills you can teach them that will help them stay safer and get the most out of everything technology has to offer.

The session will be led by Sophie Linington, Deputy CEO of Parent Zone, experts in tech and families. There will be opportunities to ask questions and understand how you can best prepare your children for their digital future.

As this is such an important topic, we are extending this invitation to other schools. Additionally, please feel free to invite other family and friends who might be interested and who could benefit from this information and training

Please contact Charlene Cheung, Head of Wellbeing on 01494 673 740

Charlene.cheung@alfristonschool.com to confirm your place and the place of any additional attendees

How to bid: In order to place a bid you must contact Rachel Hutchinson via postal or email bid. Details can be found below on the bidding slip. There are two separate items for auction.Item 1 details: Signed England Cricket Shirt from the England v Sri Lanka Test Series 2016 including certification of authenticity from the ECB.

Item 2 details: Signed England Cricket Bat from the England v Pakistan Royal London ODI Series 2016 including certification of authenticity from the ECB.

Both items have been acquired and kindly donated by Waitrose for the South Bucks School Sport Partnership. The money raised will go directly into the partnership and will be used to buy new equipment, the cost of venue hire for events and certificates and medals for competitions.

Payment: After the closing date the highest bidder for each auction will be contacted and asked to make payment to the Alfriston School bank account via BACS, cash or cheque within one week. Once payment is received the item can be collected or hand delivered if within 25 miles of Alfriston School or alternatively via signed for parcel at Royal Mail.
Closing Date: Monday 5th June 2017 12pm midday

On Monday 22nd May award winning author Billy Bob Buttons will be coming to Alfriston School to do a range of creative writing workshops with year 7. This will be supporting the creative writing year 7 are doing this half term based on Shaun Tan’s ‘The Arrival’.

He is the author of sixteen very popular children’s books including ‘Felicity Brady and the Wizard’s Bookshop’, the bestselling ‘Muffin Monster’, ‘Tiffany Sparrow Spook Slayer’, The Cool Kids Book Prize winner ‘WIDE AWAKE’, and the UK People’s Book Prize winner and bestseller ‘I think I Murdered Miss’. Last year, this book sold over 100,000 copies in the UK alone and won the 2014 UK People’s Book Prize.

Every year, he meets with approximately 150,000 primary school children to deliver his popular literacy workshops. Throughout the afternoon, he will be delivering workshops to year 7 focusing on planning a story, adventure writing and characters.

There will also be an opportunity for year 7 students to have a question and answer session with Mr. Buttons and buy a signed and dedicated book.

Parents- if you wish your daughter to buy a signed book, please put the money in a marked envelope (the author will have change with him) with your daughter’s name and the name of the book, labelled FAO Mrs Younge Author Visit by Friday 19th May 2017. A letter will go home this Thursday 27th April providing details of books which will be available on the day.

This week is World Autism Awareness Week. Here at Alfriston we started early and, on the occasion of the Singing Showcase we had a stall to display information about Autism when parents visited. We also had a donations bucket on the stall and raised £116.55 for the cause. Thank you.

This week, teachers at Alfriston will be asked to take part in a quiz about autism and pupils will be able to find out more about the condition by chatting with pupils who have been identified on the spectrum. There will also be a chance to view excerpts from the feature film about Temple Grandin.

In the meantime, read on for some information about Autism from the National Autistic Society.

How does autism affect children, adults and their families?

The term ‘autism’ is used here to describe all diagnostic profiles, including Asperger syndrome and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).

Without understanding, autistic people and families are at risk of being isolated and developing mental health problems.

Autism is much more common than many people think. There are around 700,000 people on the autism spectrum in the UK – that’s more than 1 in 1001. If you include their families, autism is a part of daily life for 2.8 million people.

Autism doesn’t just affect children. Autistic children grow up to be autistic adults.

Autism is a hidden disability – you can’t always tell if someone is autistic.

While autism is incurable, the right support at the right time can make an enormous difference to people’s lives.

34% of children on the autism spectrum say that the worst thing about being at school is being picked on2.

63% of children on the autism spectrum are not in the kind of school their parents believe would best support them3.

17% of autistic children have been suspended from school; 48% of these had been suspended three or more times; 4% had been expelled from one or more schools4.

Seventy per cent of autistic adults say that they are not getting the help they need from social services. Seventy per cent of autistic adults also told us that with more support they would feel less isolated5.

At least one in three autistic adults are experiencing severe mental health difficulties due to a lack of support6.

Only 16% of autistic adults in the UK are in full-time paid employment, and only 32% are in some kind of paid work7.

Only 10% of autistic adults receive employment support but 53% say they want it8.

5 Bancroft et al (2012). The Way We Are: Autism in 2012. London: The National Autistic Society

6 Rosenblatt, M (2008). I Exist: the message from adults with autism in England. London: The National Autistic Society, p3

7 The National Autistic Society (2016). The autism employment gap: Too Much Information in the workplace. p5

8 Bancroft et al (2012). The Way We Are: Autism in 2012. London: The National Autistic Society

Myths and facts about autism

Although over 700,000 people in the UK are autistic (more than 1 in 100 people), false and often negative perceptions about the condition are commonplace.

This lack of understanding can make it difficult for people on the autism spectrum to have their condition recognised and to access the support they need. Misconceptions can lead to some autistic people feeling isolated and alone. In extreme cases, it can also lead to abuse and bullying.

Autism affects more than 1 in 100 people – Over 700,000 people in UK are autistic, which means that 2.8m people have a relative on the autism spectrum.

People tend to ‘grow out’ of autism in adulthood – myth. It’s a lifelong condition – autistic children become autistic adults.

Autism affects both boys and girls – fact. There is a popular misconception that autism is simply a male condition. This is false.

Some autistic people don’t speak – fact. Some autistic people are non-verbal and communicate through other means. However, autism is a spectrum condition, so everyone’s autism is different.

Autism is a mental health problem – myth. Autism is a developmental disability. It’s a difference in how your brain works. Autistic people can have good mental health, or experience mental health problems, just like anyone else.

All autistic people are geniuses – myth. Just under half of all people diagnosed with autism also have a learning disability. Others have an IQ in the average to above average range. ‘Savant’ abilities like extraordinary memory are rare.

Everyone is a bit autistic – myth. While everyone might recognise some autistic traits or behaviours in people they know, to be diagnosed with autism, a person must consistently display behaviours across all the different areas of the condition. Just having a fondness for routines, a good memory or being shy doesn’t make a person ‘a bit autistic’.

Meltdown

Many autistic people experience meltdowns. The public often find it hard to tell autism meltdowns and temper tantrums apart, but they are different things. You can help by understanding autism, the person and what to do if you see someone having a meltdown.

A meltdown is ‘an intense response to overwhelming situations’. It happens when someone becomes completely overwhelmed by their current situation and temporarily loses behavioural control. This loss of control can be expressed verbally (eg shouting, screaming, crying), physically (eg kicking, lashing out, biting) or in both ways.

What to do

If someone is having a meltdown, or not responding to you, don’t judge them. It can make a world of

difference to someone on the autism spectrum and their carers.

Give them some time − it can take a while to recover from an information or sensory overload.

Calmly ask them (or their parent or friend) if they’re OK, but bear in mind they’ll need more time to respond than you might expect.

Make space − try to create a quiet, safe space as best you can. Ask people to move along and not

to stare, turn off loud music and turn down bright lights – whatever you can think of to reduce the

In the Spring term, year 9 had to connect their English, Art and History skills during an activity day on conflict.

They had already explored the theme of conflict in their English lessons, and written some fantastic poems. This helped them as they explored WW1 artefacts in a workshop led by Wycombe Museum.

They also explored the local monuments, helping us remember conflict, in a mini bus tour of the local area.

In the afternoon, they then participated in an art work shop to produce their own visual expressions of conflict, and why we should remember key historical events, to make sure we have a better future. Some really thoughtful work- well done year 9!

Many of you will use the Internet every day, because some of you can look up some good things. The internet is a fantastic tool to chat with your friend. Some people can find different pictures like boys and drawings. Some of you lot can chat to your friends and face time them on the Internet.

Whilst the Internet is a good tool, you need to be careful about other people who are using it. Weird people can say rude things about your body. They can try to find your number and your address. Mrs Shorrocks said that “We should report the person if they being rude and you can block them.”

Some of the teachers are worried about us using the internet, they want to make sure we are being careful. We can find pictures and we can play games. It has been found out that 70% of people are being rude. Emma said that “We can talk to our friends but we can’t talk to weird people.”

Here are a few top tips to be safe:

. You can block them

. You can report them

. Don’t put pictures up of your body

So remember to be safe. Don’t forget to show what you are doing to parents or teachers.